


Worth

by vassalady



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Character Death, Experimental Style, Italics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-30
Updated: 2014-10-30
Packaged: 2018-02-23 04:26:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2534153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vassalady/pseuds/vassalady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Death happens. Is it worth it? Life left in flashes of emotions. Memories. Images. Judgement.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth

**Author's Note:**

> Man, I write a lot of Steve death fic. Anyway, wanted to try something different with writing style, something very piecemeal, and more emotionally evocative than anything. Had this idea of emotion and flashes of images merging when I started, and while I don't think this is anywhere near that, I think it's interesting. It was an experiment.
> 
> No spoilers for Age of Ultron, except that the villain IS Ultron.

Sometimes you face the end head on.

_Heat, fire, roaring, searing, can’t stop, almost-_

Sometimes you stand at the edge of a precipice. But it’s not you who slips.

_”Bucky, no!”_

Sometimes you see the one you love leave.

_”Sam-”_

 _“I’m sorry, but I need space right now. Please.”_

Sometimes friends disappear without any warning.

_-body believed to be Natasha Romanoff, also known as the Black Widow, was found last night at-_

But you have to keep going. You have to, because lives depend on you.

_-burning, pain, screaming, so much screaming-_

Because the alternative is unthinkable.

_”Cap! To your left!”_

Because it is the right thing to do. Because that is who you are.

_”Your death is assured, Captain.”_

Because you believe in humanity.

_”Steve!”_

_-voice familiar-_

_”Get him out of here, we’ve got this!_

_-but she’s dead-_

_”Coming up top, Nat!”_

_-Sam-_

_-Hulk roaring-_

_-repulsors-_

_-thunder-_

Sometimes you aren’t alone as you think.

_-so tired… can’t sleep... pain…_

But it doesn’t change anything.

\------

_-Avengers defeated Ultron. In the process, Captain America was severely injured. We’re still waiting on word from the hospital-_

_-passed in the early morning. A public memorial will be held in his-_

_-look, the guy was a national hero, I’m not saying he wasn’t. But he’s part of this whole group of so called superheroes who look like they’ve stepped out of a comic book! They should all be arrested and thrown-_

_-remembering those whose lives he saved, both during the war and-_

_-who cares? Let’s talk about the civilians that Ultron killed. Who is building memorials for them? When do they get their parades and tv specials and-_

_-Romanoff and Sam Wilson to speak at the memorial-_

\------

“I don’t remember him. Not much.”

“He would have liked that you came.”

“I shouldn’t be here.”

“Hey, look. I… Me and Steve, we had shit happen between us. God, I can’t even remember what it was about, something dumb I’m sure… But I loved him and I know he’d want both of us to be here.”

“...Thanks. Sam, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Th-thank you. I just wish-”

_-crying-_

\------

A quiet graveyard. There are soldiers buried here. Among them, there is one grave that is still covered with flowers and letters.

It has been a year, but the memorials keep coming, keep trickling in.

The letters go unread. The flowers wilt. Someone changes them with the new ones sent. The letters are sealed to prevent further deterioration and stored.

\------

The same graveyard. It is not quiet today. There is a burial today. A child is crying because he needs to go to the bathroom and doesn’t want to wet his pants.

One grave, once decorated in flowers and letters, draped with the dreams of a people, now stands bare.

A name in a history book. There is no one left to mourn over this grave. Their children have grown already and have had children of their own.

There are others to mourn. There are others to remember.

\------

Nothing lasts forever, but sometimes, you might dream that at least the good in people will live on. That people will continue to fight for those who can’t. That love and kindness will outshine hate and cruelty.

That dream makes it worth it.


End file.
